


Four Kicks

by arishoking



Series: One Small Step [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Character Study, F/M, Getting Together, slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-10
Updated: 2013-01-10
Packaged: 2017-11-24 08:34:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/632482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arishoking/pseuds/arishoking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The thing with turians is that all of them have served in the military, and so all of them are trained to kill. Sometimes it's easy to forget, until he aimed for the head and she aimed for the heart, and they both hit their mark.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Four Kicks

**Author's Note:**

> This was written because I have a high level of adore for Sparatus and his stupid use of finger quotes in ME2 and then his stupid helpfulness in ME3. I borrowed/was inspired by some dialogue you can have with Kaidan, too, so you might recognize that. This is slightly AU for one instance in particular, and wholly AU for any romance, heh.
> 
> Unbeta'd, as I don't have a beta in the Mass Effect/BioWare-at-large fandom.

The thing with turians is that all of them have served in the military, and so all of them are trained to kill. Shepard knows that, she's read it in her codices and she's spoken to Garrus, to others still in the military, but it still catches her off guard. 

Like now, when she has a gun pointed at Udina's chest along with Kaidan, Garrus, and Liara, so it's not a surprise that her's is not the only gun to shoot. It is a surprise that it's Sparatus' along with her. He aimed for the head and she aimed for the heart, and they both hit their mark. It's a strange thing to meet Staratus' eyes as Udina falls, and she wonders which of them look more surprised.

"Councilor," Shepard hears Tevos start to reprimand the turian councilor, but she turns away to deal with the noises coming from the elevator, pistol up again and ready.

\-----

"Councilor," Shepard greets him neutrally, because she isn't sure where they stand after gunning down humanity's representative together, and because she buried a friend today, and because she didn't know he was planning on visiting until EDI told her that Sparatus had just entered the airlock. She thought about meeting him in the CIC, and she thought about shutting down the visual display of the Crucible, but she did neither. She doesn't know what to make of him anymore, because she's impressed by him and it's annoying that she can't see him as a difficult politician.

"Commander Shepard." Sparatus greets her in return, and then just looks at her. She doesn't fidget, she doesn't shift on her feet, but it occurs to her that for all the killing she's done in her life, she can't remember a time when she jointly killed someone on purpose. "Shepard, I must apologize," Sparatus finally continues.

Shepard blinks, because that is not what she expected. "I'm not sure why you're apologizing, sir," she admits. It certainly isn't because there is nothing to apologize for, of course; she cannot forget all the times he and the other councilors refused to believe or fully investigate her claims, but she isn't going there, certainly not when she's been proven right at the cost of their burning worlds. Shepard mostly means she isn't sure which thing he is apologizing for, but she isn't going to voice that.

"I doubted you," he says simply, and it jars her, how much his words parallel her thoughts. "You were once Cerebus, and he was humanity's councilor who apparently had ties to Cerebus, and I thought you wouldn't make the shot."

"I...thank you for your honesty?" Shepard says, but she's far more baffled than thankful, and far more insulted than she's letting on.

"You never liked him, did you?" Sparatus asks, startling her as he leans forward, hands on the display counter across from her. 

"Not really, but you knew that. It's why I chose Anderson," Shepard says, and he nods. His eyes go to the display of the Crucible, and he walks around it to stand next to her. He's tall, taller than Garrus, and for some reason it surprises her.

"Not too many people liked him. His job wasn't to endear himself to people, though," Sparatus says, and she has to agree. She wonders why he's here, standing next to her, matching her stance with hands clasped behind the back, feet apart like a soldier. He's trying to be comfortable in a new place, she thinks, and she's trying to be comfortable around a new person.

"I didn't like him, but I never doubted that he wanted what was best for humanity. Until recently, I mean." It doesn't occur to her that she probably shouldn't be sharing quite so much with a foreign dignitary until she's already said too much, but this sort of thing seems to be common in her life.

"And Cerebus doesn't want what is best for humanity?" Sparatus asks, and she thinks that this might be why he's here, to interrogate her on possible ties, but...why now, and why him? 

"Councilor, why are you here?" Shepard asks, all pretense of politeness gone. She's fielded these questions for the past six months from her own people, she doesn't have to take this from him.

"Please answer my question, and then I'll answer any you have in return," he says patiently, and she sighs. She drops her at-attention stance and turns, leaning against the display counter to face him. Shepard is the first to admit that she's far more comfortable once the bullshit is cut through, but politicians don't make it easy.

"Does Cerebus want what is best for humanity? I don't think so. I think a facet of the organization did when they helped me stop the Collectors, but I've fought them for so long, and that's the only good thing I can recall them doing. I'm told they were created to serve humanity's best interest, but it's always seemed like humanity first and at all costs, and that's...not something I can support. As for what their intentions are now? I couldn't guess." She has tried and failed to guess, and Cerebus is always one step ahead.

"You cannot support humanity first, at all costs?" Sparatus sounds like he's testing the water when he asks, and Shepard's getting insulted left and right today, apparently.

"The fact that you're still standing here is proof of that, councilor," Shepard says harshly, knowing that twice now she's had the choice of whether he lives or dies in her hands. She shouldn't remind him of that, it's bad for her career and resources, and it's cruel to him, but she's tired of this shit.

"I suppose that is true, Commander. I must apologize again, for offending you this time." He stops and shakes his head. Shepard has seen this expression a lot on Garrus' face; Sparatus looks rueful right now, and it's disconcerting, and she crosses her arms.

She's even more tired than when she walked out of the QEC after updating Anderson. "Why are you here, councilor?" Shepard reiterates softly.

"You...confuse me, Shepard. I'm used to knowing what people want, and I'm used to people being predictable. I'm used to not being surprised when I underestimate them; in fact, I'm often glad I do. I," he pauses, searching for the right word. "I don't understand you, Shepard, but I'm finding that I wish to." He sounds just as surprised as she feels. 

"Really?" She asks, before she shakes herself and continues. "I mean. What do you mean?" Shepard is suspicious, unwillingly flattered, and still confused. She uncrosses her arms and catches herself before she shoves her hands into the pouch of her hoodie, letting them land awkwardly at her sides.

"Lunch, or dinner, whenever you restock at the Citadel long enough to disembark. We're both busy people, but I'd...value your insight, and would be willing to share ideas." Holy shit, is he asking her on dates? "I'm not asking as a councilor to a Spectre, Jane," Sparatus says to clarify, and holy shit, he is asking her out on dates.

"I...would be honored, sir. Ah, Sparatus." She's not lying, either. Shepard is honored, and she's not averse to the idea of dating him, and she's far more willing to be flattered. She's stunned as he steps close enough to gently lift her hand and brush his mouth against the back of it, before seeing himself out with a flare of his mandibles and showing of teeth, something she learned from Garrus as the turian equivalent to a smirk.

" _Commander, Councilor Sparatus has disembarked, but has asked to be alerted whenever we dock. Shall I grant his request?_ " EDI asks, shaking Shepard out of her reverie.

"That's fine, EDI. Thanks." Shepard walks out of the War Room and finds herself wondering if tomorrow is too soon to share a meal, maybe find a little bit more about him, maybe discuss military readiness.


End file.
